Job market "good" for 2013 college grads

Posted:
Monday, May 6, 2013 7:54 PM EDT

STEVENS POINT (WAOW) -

After
a long economic downturn, experts say the job market is improving.
New survey findings show more job openings this year than others, and
in several different fields. That's positive news for students
graduating from college this month.

In
a few weeks Kurt Oleszko will graduate.

"It's
a pretty good feeling," Oleszko says,

For
many seniors the last semester brings an exhausting job hunt and
dozens of job applications. But
for Oleszko that's not the case. The UW Stevens Point paper science
major already has a full-time job lined up.

"It
was a huge weight off my shoulders," Oleszko told Newsline 9.

Experts
say the college graduating class of 2013 will enter a stronger job
market than in the years right after the recession.

"The
economy is improving and we are seeing an increase in the number of
employers looking to hire," UWSP Economist Randy Cray said.

But
Cray says only certain job fields are booming, "ones in the
technical area are a lot more in demand than others." That
means fields like education or communications are still struggling.

"Job
growth has been up but it hasn't been fantastic and that's going to
impact some of the fields for college students," Cray explains.

A
nation-wide study shows the unemployment rate for 2013 college
graduates is 11.3%. Cray says if the economy continues to recover
that number should get even lower.

"It's
more of a slow climb out of a very deep hole that we were in."

For
those soon to be college graduates without a job that's a positive
sign.

"With
the way things are, hospitals are very important so we'll always have
a job, and I'll get one," Senior Jessica Dietzman said.

So
as these seniors get ready to receive their diplomas, it seems they
have a little more reason to be optimistic.